Gumi candies and a process for making the same

ABSTRACT

&#34;Gumi&#34; (or gummy) candies made by mixing water, sugar, starch syrup, an acid, a setting agent, a buffer solution, a flavoring material and a coloring agent. A combination of pectin and gelatin is used as the setting agent. Pectin and gelatin are used in the amounts of 1.9 to 2.6% and 1 to 3.8%, respectively, by weight relative to the total solid weight of the principal materials which are sugar, starch syrup, acid, setting agent and a buffer solution.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to "gumi" (or gummi, or gummy) candies, which arejelly-like candies, and a process for making the same. Moreparticularly, it relates to gumi candies retaining good consistency evenat, say, 80° C. and a process for making the same.

BACKGROUND ART

The conventional gumi candies have been made by mixing water, sugar,starch syrup, citric or other acid assisting setting, a setting agent, abuffer solution of e.g. sodium citrate or acetate for preventing toorapid solidification of a solution of materials as poured into a mold, aflavoring material giving the flavor of e.g. apples or peppermint, and acoloring agent. Gelatin has been used as the setting agent in the amountof, say, 3 to 19% by weight relative to the total weight of thematerials including water and the flavoring material (see JapanesePatent Application laid open under No. Hei 6-70704).

The conventional gumi candies have, however, melted at, say, 40-45° C.,and been unable to retain their shape. It has, therefore, beenimpossible to sell them by an automatic vending machine exposed to anambient temperature of, say, 80° C. under the blazing sun in midsummer.

Besides gelatin, agar and pectin are known as a setting agent used inordinary jellies, and it may be possible to use agar or pectin as asetting agent for gumi candies.

If agar is used instead of gelatin, however, there have been cases inwhich setting is prevented by citric or other acid used for assistingsetting.

If pectin is used instead of gelatin, it is possible to make gumicandies having satisfactory heat resistance. They cannot, however, becalled gumi candies any longer, since they lose their characteristicelastic resistance to biting off with the teeth, though they may besomewhat tough and elastic to the touch.

Japanese Patent Application laid open under No. Hei 5-68481 disclosesgumi candies made by using both gelatin and pectin, but the pectin inthose candies is used not for improving their heat resistance, butmerely for making a change of materials so that two kinds of gumicandies may not melt with each other during casting by a doubledepositor. Those candies contain only a small amount of pectin notexceeding one-twentieth of that of gelatin, and melt at, say, 45° C.

It is an object of this invention to solve the problems as pointed outabove, and provide gumi candies which retain good consistency even at ahigh temperature without having any undesirable lowering in elasticresistance to the teeth.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method which canmake gumi candies having good consistency even at a high temperature, agood elastic resistance to the teeth and a good appearance, whilecontaining an extract of persimmons as an oral deodorant.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The gumi candies according to this invention are the gumi candies madeby mixing water, sugar, starch syrup, an acid, a setting agent, a buffersolution, a flavoring material and a coloring agent, and characterizedin that a combination of pectin and gelatin is used as the settingagent, and that the pectin and gelatin are used in the amounts of 1.9 to2.6% and 1 to 3.8%, respectively, by weight relative to the total solidweight of the principal materials consisting of the sugar, starch syrup,acid, setting agent and buffer solution.

The gumi candies may further contain an oral deodorant. An extract ofpersimmons having a high deodorizing power is a preferred oraldeodorant.

The gumi candies according to this invention have good consistency evenat, say, 80° C., while retaining their characteristic resistance tobiting off with the teeth, since they contain as the setting agent acombination of pectin and gelatin in the amounts of 1.9 to 2.6% and 1 to3.8%, respectively, by weight relative to the total solid weight of theprincipal materials consisting of the sugar, starch syrup, acid, settingagent and buffer solution.

If the amount of pectin is less than 1.9% by weight, the candies have alower resistance to heat, and if it exceeds 2.6% by weight, they becometoo tough to remain elastic and be called gumi candies.

If the amount of gelatin is less than 1% by weight, the candies becometoo tough to remain elastic, and if it exceeds 3.8% by weight, theybecome too soft, as they need a large amount of water, and in eitherevent, they lose the resistance to the teeth which is characteristic ofthe gumi candies.

If they contain an oral deodorant, the gumi candies exhibit an oraldeodorizing action when held in the mouth.

A particularly high deodorizing effect can be obtained if an extract ofpersimmons is used as the oral deodorant.

As an extract of persimmons, it is possible to use, for example, a juiceas extracted from unripe fruits of persimmons, such as "fuyugaki","hirakakunashigaki", "hachiyatanegaki" or astrigent persimmons (it ispossible to press 5 kg of juice from 10 kg of unripe persimmons), or asugarless juice obtained by removing sugar from the extracted juice, ora powder obtained by removing water from any such juice, as shown inJapanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3-61457.

In the event that an extract of persimmons is used as the oraldeodorant, it is possible to make gumi candies having a good elasticresistance to the teeth and a good appearance despite the presence ofthe extract of persimmons if they are made by preparing a solution of amixture of water, a part of acid, a buffer solution, sugar, starch syrupand pectin, adding the extract into the solution under stirring, anddissolving, then, the rest of the acid, a coloring agent, a flavoringmaterial and gelatin therein.

If the extract of persimmons, as well as the coloring agent and theflavoring material, is added into the solution of a mixture of water,acid, buffer solution, sugar and starch syrup after both pectin andgelatin are added as the setting agent, as in the case of an ordinarymethod of making gumi candies, a large amount of a fibrous substance(which is considered as a reaction product of tannin and otherconstituents of the extract of persimmons and the protein in thegelatin) is produced in the solution, and lowers the elastic resistanceof gumi candies to the teeth and their appearance, though they mayretain consistency at, say, 80° C.

According to the method of this invention for making gumi candies,however, the extract of persimmons is added under stirring into thesolution of a mixture of water, a part of acid, buffer solution, sugar,starch syrup and pectin, so that tannin and other constituents of theextract may be dispersed and diluted before gelatin is added, so thatthe subsequent addition of the protein forming the gelatin may notresult in the formation of any fibrous substance lowering the elasticresistance of gumi candies to the teeth and their appearance.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Table 1 below shows the raw materials used for making gumi candiesembodying this invention.

                                      TABLE 1    __________________________________________________________________________    Order                    Solid weight                                    Solid weight ratio    of                   Weight                             of principal                                    of principal    addision             (kg)                             materials (kg)                                    materials (wt %)    __________________________________________________________________________    A   Water            25        Sodium citrate   0.35                             0.35   0.5        Citric acid      0.75                             0.375  0.5        (a 50% by weight aqueous solution)    B   Pectin           1.8 1.8    2.3        Sugar            5.5 5.5    7.1    C   Sugar (containing 17% sorbitol)                         46  46     59.4        Starch syrup     30  21.9   28.3        (containing oligosaccharide, and        having a Brix degree of 73)    D   Oral deodorant   5        (extract juice of persimmons)    E   Citric acid      0.9 0.45   0.6        (a 50% by weight aqueous solution)        Gelatin          2.5 1      1.3        (a 40% by weight aqueous solution)        Coloring agent:        Yellow pigment    0.03        Blue pigment        Flavoring material:        Apple            0.215        Peppermint       0.095    Total weight         118.14                             77.375    Volatie loss         33.14    Yield                85    __________________________________________________________________________

The steps 1 to 7 as described below are taken for making gumi candiesfrom the materials as shown above.

1. Water, A in Table 1, is put in a melting pot, and citric acid andsodium citrate, A, are added, and dissolved in it.

2. Pectin and sugar, B, are mixed in powder form, and their mixture isput in the melting pot, so that pectin, B, may not form any mass. ASConfectionery made by GENU, which sets slowly, is used as pectin, sothat a casting time of, say, 30 minutes at, say, 60° C. may be ensuredduring the later step of casting the mixture into a mold.

3. The solution in the melting pot is slowly heated under stirring untilit boils, and after it has boiled, its heating is continued for one ortwo more minutes, so that the pectin (AS Confectionery) may bethoroughly dissolved.

4. Sugar, C, is added and dissolved in the solution under boiling, sothat the solution may not be unduly cooled, and starch syrup is, then,added.

5. If the solution is heated to, say, 107° C., an extract of persimmons(more specifically, a juice extracted from 10 kg of fruits by a press)is added as an oral deodorant, D, under stirring, and the solution isfurther heated to, say, 110° C.

6. Admixed successively under stirring are an aqueous solution of citricacid, E, and an aqueous solution of gelatin, E (as obtained bydissolving 1 kg of gelatin in 1.5 kg of water), a yellow safflowerpigment and a blue gardenia pigment as coloring agents, and flavoringmaterials giving the flavors of apples and peppermint.

7. Upon cooling to, say, 90° C., the solution is cast into a starchmold, and dried in a drying chamber for 12 hours, while it is held at60° C. Then, 36 hours of cooling at ordinary temperature, oil and wafercoating, and wrapping yield gumi candies.

The gumi candies preferably have a Brix degree of 81 to 86 so as toremain in good condition for a long time (the candies made from thematerials shown in Table 1 had a Brix degree of 82.5). The gumi candieshaving a Brix degree of less than 81 are likely to get moldy and are toosoft, while those having a Brix degree over 86 are too hard, and ineither event, their elastic resistance to the teeth is too low for anysatisfactory gumi candies.

It is also desirable from the standpoint of their setting time that thegumi candies have a pH of 3.5 to 3.8 (the candies made from thematerials shown in Table 1 had a pH of 3.55). A mixture of materialsgiving gumi candies having a pH below 3.5 sets too rapidly for propercasting, while one giving candies having a pH above 3.8 fails to set.

The gumi candies made as described retain an elastic resistance tobiting off with the teeth, as is characteristic of these kind ofcandies, and consistency at, say, 80° C. (the candies embodying thisinvention began to soften at about 80° C. and melted at about 100° C.).

The gumi candies exhibit an oral deodorizing action when held in themouth, since they contain an extract of persimmons as the oraldeodorant.

The addition of an extract of persimmons as the oral deodorant does, ofcourse, not have any adverse effect on the elastic resistance orappearance of the gumi candies, since the extract of persimmons is mixedin the solution obtained by mixing water, a part of acid, buffersolution, sugar, starch syrup and pectin, so that tannin and otherconstituents thereof may be dispersed and diluted in the solution beforegelatin is added, so that the later addition of the protein from gelatinmay not result in the formation of any fibrous substance.

Although the juice as pressed has been used as the extract of persimmonsin the gumi candies embodying this invention, it is alternativelypossible to use a sugarless juice obtained by removing sugar from thejuice as pressed, or a powder obtained by removing water from the juice,or sugarless juice. In the event that a powder is used, it is dissolvedin water, and used as an aqueous solution having a concentration of,say, 10% by weight.

It is possible to use flavonoid, or an extract of tea leaves as the oraldeodorant, though they are inferior to an extract of persimmons as adeodorant.

As a result of the attempts to make candies by employing differentamounts of pectin and gelatin, it has been found that the adequateamount of pectin is from 1.9 to 2.6% by weight relative to the totalsolid weight of the principal materials consisting of sugar, starchsyrup, acid, setting agent and buffer solution. If its amount is lessthan 1.9% by weight, the candies have a lower resistance to heat, and ifit exceeds 2.6% by weight, they become too tough to remain elastic andbe called gumi candies.

It has also been found that the adequate amount of gelatin is from 1 to3.8% by weight relative to the total solid weight of the principalmaterials consisting of sugar, starch syrup, acid, setting agent andbuffer solution. If its amount is less than 1% by weight, the candiesbecome too tough to remain elastic, and if it exceeds 3.8% by weight,they become too soft, as they need a large amount of water, and ineither event, they lose the elastic resistance to the teeth which ischaracteristic of the gumi candies.

The use of the slowly setting AS Confectionery made by GENU as pectin toensure a casting time of, say, 30 minutes at, say, 60° C. enablescasting into a starch mold to be continued without being interrupted byany undesirably rapid setting, so that the gumi candies can be made on amass-production basis.

Although citric acid has been used as the acid for assisting the settingof the gumi candies embodying this invention, it is also possible to useanother organic acid, such as malic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid,adipic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, or vinegar. The acid is added inin such an amount that the solution of the materials may not set beforeits complete casting, but may not fail to set thereafter to make gumicandies having a pH of 3.5 to 3.8. A solution giving candies having a pHbelow 3.5 sets too rapidly for proper casting, while a solution givingcandies having a pH above 3.8 fails to set, as already stated.

Although sodium citrate has been used as the buffer solution for thecandies embodying this invention, it is also possible to use, forexample, sodium acetate.

INDUSTRIAL UTILITY

The gumi candies of this invention are of utility, since they retainconsistency even in an atmosphere having a temperature of, say, 80° C.,as stated above.

What is claimed is:
 1. Gumi candies made by mixing water, sugar, starchsyrup, an acid, a setting agent, a buffer solution, a flavoring materialand a coloring agent, and characterized in that a combination of pectinand gelatin is used as said setting agent, and that said pectin andgelatin are used in the amounts of 1.9 to 2.6% and 1 to 3.8%,respectively, by weight relative to the total solid weight of theprincipal materials consisting of said sugar, starch syrup, acid,setting agent and buffer solution, such that the gumi candies producedhave good consistency at a temperature of about 80° C.
 2. Gumi Candiesas set forth in claim 1, further containing an oral deodorant.
 3. GumiCandies as set forth in claim 2, wherein said oral deodorant is anextract of persimmons.
 4. A process for making gumi candies made bymixing water, sugar, starch syrup, an acid, pectin and gelatin as asetting agent, a buffer solution, a flavoring material, a coloringagent, and an extract of persimmons as an oral deodorant, while usingsaid pectin and gelatin in the amounts of 1.9 to 2.6% and 1 to 3.8%,respectively, by weight relative to the total solid weight of theprincipal materials consisting of said sugar, starch syrup, acid,setting agent and buffer solution, said process comprising preparing asolution of a mixture of said water, a part of said acid, and saidbuffer solution, sugar, starch syrup and pectin, mixing said extract insaid solution under stirring, and dissolving the rest of said acid, andsaid coloring agent, flavoring material and gelatin in said solution.